Bath and shower

The bath after the nap was a quiet, private ritual, where time slowed, rain beat against the frosted bathroom window, and warm steam filled the air like a white mist. Lara held James in her arms, carrying his naked, sleepy body into the bathroom. She closed the bathroom door with her foot, the click of the lock echoing in the silence. The light from the wall lamps was pale yellow, falling on the frosted white tiles and creating soft shadows.

The old cast-iron bathtub, with its brass taps, was already filled. Lara had turned on the tap early in the morning; the hot water poured out with a gentle pressure, steam rising from its surface and the scent of lavender and fresh mint wafting through the air. She had also added a few drops of sweet almond oil to keep James’s skin soft. Thick white foam floated on the surface of the water, like tiny clouds that quivered with every movement.

Lara took off her clothes; She pulled down her white turtleneck, her blonde hair falling down and resting on her shoulders. She pulled down her jeans, her legs gleaming white and smooth in the bathroom light. She was left in only her white silk underwear – a bra and thin panties that clung to her skin, showing off the soft contours of her body. She sat James on the edge of the tub, dangling his legs in the water. The warm water hit his ankles, James took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Lara leaned down, placed her lips on James’s wet forehead – a soft, long kiss, with a gentle pressure that lingered on his cold skin. “Are you awake, my boy?” she whispered, and placed her lips again, this time on the tip of his nose; a short, playful kiss that made James laugh.

Lara slid into the tub herself, the water rising to her waist. She sat James between her long legs, his back against his chest. The water wrapped around them, its warmth seeping into James’s bones. Lara took a large sponge—a soft, white one that Katie had bought at the local market—and poured vanilla liquid soap over it. The soap lathered thickly, the sweet, warm scent of vanilla mingling with lavender.

She started at James’s shoulders. She took the sponge in both hands, her movements slow and circular; starting at his collarbone, she moved down, rolling it over his smooth, slender chest. The white foam sat on his skin, like soft snow on a small hill. James held his breath, then said with a soft laugh, “Warm…” Lara smiled, pulling the sponge up his arms, running it between his fingers, massaging his wrists. James’s fingers opened and closed in the water, like a butterfly flapping its wings. Lara placed a kiss on his shoulder every time she moved her hand – small, continuous kisses, like raindrops on skin.

She lowered the sheet, twirled it over James’s stomach. She tickled his navel with the tip of the sheet, James laughed and his body shivered in the water. Lara bent down, placed her lips on his navel – a warm, wet kiss, the tip of her tongue circling it and making James shiver. “Are you ticklish?” she asked and kissed him again, this time on his right side, where his skin was thinnest. She slid the sheet over his slim thighs, from his knees to his groin. His skin was soft and white, sliding like silk under Lara’s fingers. When she reached his small penis, she wrapped the sheet around it slowly – no pressure, no rush. Just a gentle, circular motion. James's breath caught in his throat, Lara placed her lips on his inner thigh – a long kiss, with a gentle suction that left a pink mark on his skin. “Calm down, little one… Auntie is cleaning you.”

She put the towel aside, poured warm water over James's head with her bare hand. His hair was wet, tangled strands stuck to his forehead. She poured green apple-scented baby shampoo into her hand, lathered it up, and ran her fingers through James's scalp. She massaged it with her fingertips, from behind his ears to the crown of his head. James had his eyes closed, smiling, and he tilted his head back and rested it on Lara's chest. Lara combed his hair with one hand, with the other she poured water until the lather had gone. Each time the water splashed on his face, Lara placed her lips on his cheek – soft, continuous kisses, each one making a small “moa” sound in the bathroom.

Then it was the body’s turn. Lara pulled James forward a little, picked up the leaf again, and washed his back—from neck to waist, between the shoulders. James lay in the water, his legs stretched out, his toes playing on the surface. Lara took the leaf between her toes, tickled it, James laughed and splashed. Drops fell on Lara’s face, she laughed too, and wiped the drops from James’ cheek with her lips—a long kiss, the tip of her tongue licking the drop, making James laugh. Then she put her lips on his ankle, a long kiss, her soft teeth pressing against his skin.

Finally, Lara pulled James closer to her. The water rose to James’ neck, his body completely in Lara’s embrace. Lara wrapped her arm around his waist, ran her finger along his spine, up and down. James’s breath was warm on Lara’s neck. Lara put her lips on James’s ear – a soft kiss, her warm breath curling in his ear and whispering, “Clean, little one? Time to come out now…” Then she put her lips on James’s – a short, sweet kiss, like a mother kissing her child, no sexual pressure, just pure love.

James shook his head, his eyes still closed. Lara lifted him, water pouring off his body, steam swirling around them.

After the hot bath, the steam was still swirling in the bathroom and drops of water were dripping from the ceiling. He hugged her small, wet body again and with one gentle movement, he lifted her up. James wrapped his legs around Lara’s waist, his arms around her neck, like a child clinging to its mother. Lara smiled, placed her lips on James’s wet forehead—a long, gentle kiss that left the warmth of her lips on his cold skin—and whispered, “Now for the last shower, my dear… until you’re completely clean and warm.”

She turned on the shower. The warm water poured down with a gentle pressure, like a warm spring rain. The steam increased, the yellow light from the lamps was lost in the mist. Lara held James in her arms, one hand under her small buttocks, the other behind her back. Water poured over their heads, Lara’s blonde hair darkening and clinging to her shoulders, James’s hair falling into his face. James closed his eyes, his breath mingling with the sound of the water.

Lara moved James’s body slightly so that the water reached everywhere. The water poured down James’s neck, onto his chest, his stomach, between his legs. With her free hand, Lara poured vanilla liquid soap into her palm, worked up a thick lather, starting at James’s neck. Her fingers slid over his skin, the white lather settling on his body like snow. James tilted his head back, resting it on Lara’s shoulder. Lara put her lips on his ear—a warm, wet kiss, the tip of her tongue touching his earlobe and whispered, “Honey…”

Her hand went down, over his chest, around his navel. James laughed, tickled. Lara put her lips on his cheek – a quick kiss, then on his lips – a soft kiss, like a mother kissing her child. She rubbed the foam over her thighs, between her toes. James wrapped his legs tighter around Lara’s waist, his body pressed tightly against hers. Warm water poured down Lara’s back onto James, steam swirled around them.

When she reached his small penis, Lara swirled the foam around it with her fingertips – a soft, gentle movement, just to clean. James’s breath caught in his throat, Lara put her lips on his neck – a long kiss, with a gentle suction that left a pink mark on his skin. “It’s good, auntie…” he whispered and kissed her again, this time on his temple.

She poured the water over James’ head, washing the foam off. Lara combed his hair with her fingers, from root to tip. James opened his eyes, looking at Lara with bright eyes. Lara smiled, placing her lips on his nose – a playful kiss – and then on his forehead, on his cheek, on his chin. Kisses in succession, like warm rain in a shower.

Finally, Lara turned off the tap. The water stopped, only the sound of soft drips remained. The steam was still around them. Lara held James in her arms, wrapping the large, warm towel around both of them. James was still in her arms, his legs around her waist, his head on his chest. Lara placed her lips on his wet hair – a long kiss, her warm breath curling in his hair – and whispered, “Clean, my son… time for clothes and cuddles now.”

James smiled, closed his eyes, and relaxed in Lara’s arms, under the trail of kisses and the warmth of the shower.